Block molding machine



Nov. 7, 1950 T. T. ANNAs 2,529,066

BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 7, 1950 T. T. ANNAS BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE Filed June 1'7, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmc/whom" TAFT 7T ,aA/NAS' Nov. 7, 1950 T. T. ANNAS BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nii sus

TAFT 7 ANA/AS www@ Nov. 7, 1950 T, T, ANNAS 2,529,066

` BLOCK MOLDING MACHINE Filed June .17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l s l IZ l 157 wz T158 474B I -IL l"Ml- -1 i H 165: l l5 CI/l l 14a); we w45, 16S/1745"" i l W2, k15e i l l *HZ g- FJ- /O Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES rATeNT Erice Taft T. Armas, Hickory, N. C.

Application June 17, 1946, Serial No. 677,331

This invention relates to a concrete block making machine, and although it is especially adapted for the making of concrete building blocks, it is to be understood that it can be used for making all kinds of moldable blocks from a moldable material, such as the making of bricks, the making of plastic articles, and the like. y

It is an object of this inventionto provide a block making machine having a slidable hopper, which is adapted'to be slid over the compartment in which the blocks are molded and which hopper can be slidably moved from over the completed block. The machine is also provided with means for imparting vibration to the hopper and to the mechanism forming the molding chamber so as to cause the material being molded to be tightly packed into the mold and thus making a block, which is less liable to have open spaces therein, due to the material not vbeing shaken down into the mold.

It is another object of this invention to provide a concrete block making machine having aV been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine and showing the parts in position ready for the making of a block, when the hopper is slid over the mold, it also shows the position of parts, after the completion of a block and before the same is ejected; Y

Figure 2 is a view similar to the left hand portion of Figure 1, but showing the parts in the position they will occupy when a block has been ejected from the mold;

Figure 3 is a view mostly in elevation and partly in section and taken along the line 3 3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end View of the apparatus looking from the left hand end of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale and taken alone the line 5-5 in Fsure 4;

2 Claims. (Cl. 25-41) motor.

' scribed.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the machine;

Figure' 7 is an isometric View of one form of block which can be made with this machine;

Figure 8 is an isometric view of another form of block which can be made in this machine;

Figure 9 is an isometric view of another form of block Which can be made in this machine;

Figure l0 is a tcp plan view of the mold end of the machine, and showing the machine of greater Vwidth than it is shown in Figure 6, and wherebyV a larger block can be formed, or two blocks can be formed at one time;

Figure 1l is a vertical sectional view taken along the line Il-II in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view along the line l2-i2 in Figure 10;

Figure 13 is an exploded isometric View of a form of block which can be made in the type of mold shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12;

Figure 14 is a detail view mostly in section showing a portion of one of the clamping means for clampingthe hopper in positionover the mold;v

Ataken Figure 15 is an isometric Viewv cfva buildingV block similar to Figure 13, but showing'y it made all in one piece and not in half lengths.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numerals lli and il indicate twov side angle iron members forming a part of the bottom frame,

Iwhich also has a front anglebar l2 and a rear angle'bar i3, all welded together to' form a rectangular frame, which restson the floor." Rising upwardly from this rectangular frame comprising bars IIJ to i3 inclusive are two rear corner posts I4 and l5and frontcorner posts l5 and ll, and

intermediateuprights lg and 59. Welded to the upper ends of all of these uprising posts lll to ,i9 inclusive is a rectangular frame comprising side angle bars 2i) and 2l, and end angle bars 22 and 23. Welded to the upper surface of the upper 26 forming a motor mount for an electric motor 2l, which derives its energy from a suitable conduit or drop cord 28, one Wire of which is led through a toggle switch 2e before it is led to the This toggle switch is Within easy reach of the operator of the machine. This electric motor has a V-pulley 3@ mounted on its motor shaft on which a V-belt 32 is mounted for imparting oscillationA to the hopper as will be presently de` Welded to the uprights IS and it is a horizontally dispcsedangle bar 35 and welded to' uprights l1 and i9 is another angle bar $5. These angle bars-35 and 35 have bolted to their upper surfaces flanged members 31 and 38 to which are secured the lower edges of guide rods 40 and 4|, The upper ends of'these guide rods 40 and 4| are flanged as at 42 and are bolted to angle irons 43 and 44 by means of bolts 39, which bolts also penetrate bearings 45 and 46. slidably mounted on the bars 40 and 4| are cuff members 41 and 48 to the proximate surfaces of which are welded bars 50 and to which are bolted, by means of bolts 52, angle bars 54 and 55 which have spacer members 53 therebetween, so that the bars 59 and 54 and 5| and 55 will be separated apart from each other to travel on vthe two sides of the flanges of the uprising posts I6, I1, I8, and I9.

Welded to the top surface of angle bars 54 and 55 are transverse bars 56 and 51 to which are secured vertically adjustable rods 58, 59, 60

and 6|, which project upwardly and are adapted` to support a movable bottom or pallet 64 of the mold to be presently described. The Vcuff members 41 and 48 have pivotally secured theretoY as at 66 and 61 links 68 and 69 whose lower ends are pivotally connected as at 10 and 1| to the outerend of the levers 12 and 13 adjustably secured on a transverse shaft 14, which is bent upwardly, as at 15 to providera lever 1'6, having a weight 11 adjustahly secured thereon. Shaft 14' is mounted in bearings 18 and 19.

Welded to the top of front bar 22 is' a plurality of angle brackets 80, 8| and 82 and bolted on top of top side bars 20, and 2| Yis an angle bar 83. On this bar 83 and on bars 80, 8| and 82 are welded flat bars 84, 85 and 86, and on top of these bars 84, 85 and 85 are bolted the base members of cores 81, 88 and 89 for forming 1 openings in the block being molded.

The center core 88 is slit transversely as evidenced by slot 90 into which a sheet member 9| may be inserted when it is desired to form two blocks'in the same mold according to the showing in Figure 9. Half cores 92 and 93 are se- 91 and 98, which areoscillatably mounted in bearings 45 and 46, which have previously been described. Disposed between the channel members`95 and 96 are langle bars |00, |0|, |02 and |03, and welded to the interior surfaces of bars |00 and |02 isa plate |94, which forms the front wall of the mold while secured to the interior surfaces of angle bars |0| and |03 is a plate |05 which forms the rear wall of the mold.

. The lower angles of channel bars 95 and 96 have a plurality of downwardly projecting portions |01, which project into compression springs |08, and rising from side top anglebars and 2| are upwardly projecting pins |09, which project into the lower ends of the compression springs |08. In this way, the mold mechanism is resiliently supported, but can oscillate on stub shafts 91 and 98, which are oscillatably mounted in the bearings 45 and 46.

A hopper |0 is provided, having its outer edges turned downwardly and inwardly, as at and adapted to slidably t over the upper horizontal flanges of the channel bars 95 and 96. Disposed on top of the top angles 'of the channel irons 95 and 96 is a plate ||2 which has an opening ||3 therein, which is of the same size as the Vmold defined by walls |04 and |05 and channel mem-v bers 95 and 96. When the hopper is slid bacl;

from over the opening H3, the bottom of the hopper will be closed by the plate |2. At the forward end of plate ||2, there is a pipe l5 welded thereacross to limit the forward movement of the hopper ||0 and to cause its opening to coincide'with opening ||3 in plate ||2.

For clamping the hopper ||0 in position over the opening ||3, there has been provided, on each side of the apparatus, supports ||6, which are welded to the exterior surfaces of the channel members 95 and 96. These supports I6 have rising upwardly therefrom tubular members I1 and I8, in which bolts ||9 and |20 are slidably mounted. Bolts |20 project downwardly through the supports ||6 and have disposed therearound a compression spring |2| which is conned thereon by a nut |22 to normally force the bolt |25 downwardly. The bolts ||9 and |20 penetrate a strap iron member |23 so that spring |2| normally forces the strap iron members |23 downwardly into clamping Contact with the upper horizontal portion of the hopper ||0 to hold it in registering position, while the mold is being lled with molding material.

Mounted between the tubular members ||1 and I8 is'a cam member Y |21 which has a handle V| 28 extending therefrom, this cam member being mounted onfa pin 29, which is mounted in transverse bores in the tubular members ||1 and H8, the pins |29 being inserted in position, then thebolts ||9 and |20 drop into the tubular members ||1 and ||8 to thus conne the pin |29 on which the cam is mounted.

' Mounted on the lower surfaces of the rear ends of the channel members 95 and 9'6 are bearings |85 and |36 in which a shaft |31 is rotatably mounted, and which shaft has Xed thereon a V-pulley |38 lon which the V-belt 32 is mounted. This shaft |31 has secured thereon a pair of eccentrics |39, which, when the shaft |31 parted to the 'whole assembly secured to channel members 95 and 96, to thus cause the molding material to be settled and packed around the cores Within the molding chamber due to the jarring action, on account of the eccentrcs |39 being disposed on the shaft |31.

Thel blocks manufactured from ther apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive is indicatedl at `Figure 1, where this block is indicated by r'eference character |40. The vertical openings through the block indicated by reference char-V acters |4|, |42 and |43 are formed by thecores 81, 88 and 89, and the half cores 92 and 93, form the semi-circular cavities |44 and |45 respectively in the two ends of the'block. If the half core 92 is omitted, then the block |46 in Figure 8 is'the result.

If a plate 9| is insertedin the slot 90, then the' blocks |41 :and |48 will bevv the result,`as"shown in Figure 9.! In Figures 10,11 and l2 a'modicd't form of the mold is shown, which is similar to that described, except that it is longer, that'is, the machine is wider. Here are shown channel bars |50 and |5|, between which are sepured angle bars |52, |53, |54 and |55,and secured to Y angle bars |52 and |54 is a plate |56, while plate thereto to form border grooves in the exterior of'A Y the blocks being made, or in the two halves thereof |60a and |605. These grooves are indi@ f.. cated by reference character |6|.

. cores |63 `and |64 are secured to the channel suitable hairmembers |59 and 15| by any suitable means, such as screws |95, while suitable oval shaped cores E66 form the openings |91 in the block. The half cores |53 and |64 form the end cavities |58 in each end of the block.

1f desired, instead of making full Siae blocks |69, the central core |98 may be removed and a plate member |10, having half cores |l| secured one on either side yand being the same height as the block to be made, can be substituted in place of the core |66, to form two half blocks having semi-circular cavities |69 in the adjoining ends. The plate member is slidably positioned in slots |12 in plates |56 and |51 and rest on a pallet |13. The half cores Vil are tapered from top to bottom and are ejected, along with plate iid, from the mold each time a block is formed and replaced to form the next block. The cores 65 and the half cores il@ and '.14 are tapered from bottom to top and remain in 1. A block making machine comprising a rst frame,. a second frame resiliently mounted on top of the rst frame, said second frame having a mold cavity therein serving as a mold and into which plastic material may be poured for forming a block, the first frame having a plurality of cores extending upwardly therefrom into the mold, said mold having a vertically slidable bottom or pallet disposed therein and having openings therein tting :around the cores, the first frame having bearings thereon, stub shafts mounted in the bearings, the said stub shafts being secured to the second frame, a plurality of compression springs disposed between the first' and second frames for resiliently supporting the second frame, the second frame having a cantilevered extension extending from the upper half thereof, a rotatable shaft mounted in the endmost portion of the cantilevered extension of the second frame and having eccentric members thereon, means mounted on the main frame `and I having a exible driving connection with the rotatable shaft in the cantilevered extension of the second frame for imparting rotation to the shaft to impart vibration to the se-cond frame to cause a settling of material in the mold, a plurality of supports for the pallet or movable bottom, a vertically slidable frame to which the supports :are secured, means comprising a lever having a link pivotally secured to one end thereof and a connection between the other end of the link and the vertically slidable frame for moving the vertically slidable frame upwardly to move the movable bottom upwardly to expel the block from the mold, a hopper slidably mounted on top of the second frame, and having an opening therein of approximately the same size as the upper end of the mold, a plate mounted on the upper side of the second frame and having :an opening therein coinciding with the v upper portion of the mold, means for slidably mounting the hopper on top of the second frame so that it can slide over and cover the upper portion of the mold or slide away to expose the upper portion of the mold, and eccentric means carried by the second frame for clamping the hopper in position over the upper end of the mold while material is being poured thereinto.-

2. A block making machine comprising a first frame, a second frame resiliently mounted on top of the first frame, said second frame having a mold cavity therein serving as a mold and into which plastic material may be poured for forming a block, the first frame having a plurality of cores extending upwardly therefrom into the mold, said mold having a vertically slidable bottom or pallet disposed therein and having openings therein tting around the cores, the rst frame having bearings thereon, stub shafts mounted in the bearings, the said stub shafts being secured v to the second frame, a plurality of compression springs mounted on the first frame for resiliently supporting the second frame, the second frame having a cantilevered extension extending from the upper half thereof, a rotatable shaft mounted in the endmost portion of the cantilevered extension of the second frame and having eccentric members kfixed thereon, driving means mounted on the main frame and having a fiexible driving connection with the shaft in thesecond frame for imparting rotation to the shaft in the second frame to impart vibration to the second frame to cause a settling of material in the mold, a plurality of supports for the pallet or movable bottom, a vertically slidable frame to which the supports are secured, means comprising a lever and a link pivoted to the lever and slidable frame for moving the vertically slidable frame upwardly to move the movable bottom upwardly to expel the block from the mold, a hopper mounted on top of the second frame, and having an opening therein of approximately the same size as the upper end of the mold, a plate mounted on the upper side of the second frame and having an opening therein coinciding with the upper portion of the mold, means for slidably mounting the hopper on top of the second frame and in sliding contact with said plateso that it can slide over and cover the upper portion of the mold or slide away to expose the upper portion of the mold, and means comprising a lever with an eccentric thereon for clamping the hopper in position over the upper end of the mold whilematerial is being poured thereinto, one of the cores being slit transversely and a plate adapted to be inserted in the slit core so that two blocks can be formed at the same time instead of one elongated block.

TAFT T. ANNAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 804,423 Miller Nov. 14, 1905 2,298,074 Straub Oct. 6, 1942 2,299,724 Appley v- Oct. 27, 1942 2,389,673 Lofdahl Nov. 27, 1945 2,396,999 George e Mar. 19, 1946 

